Urgent.ly Gains Backing of Automakers

Big automakers like BMW, Porsche, and Jaguar Land Rover have all recently invested in tech startup Urgent.ly, making the company one to watch. It seeks to revolutionize roadside assistance, the service you hope you never have to use, and hate it when you do.

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If you’ve ever called for help because of an issue with your car, you know it can take some time to get a service vehicle to your location, even if you’re in the middle of a city. What Urgent.ly seeks to do is cut that response time down dramatically, so you can get your car back on the road and get on with your life sooner.

It gets even better — instead of paying for roadside assistance each month with your insurance policy or AAA membership, with Urgent.ly you only pay when you actually need the service. If you have a reliable car and don’t need roadside help for a few years, you’re paying absolutely nothing during that time.

Just like with Uber or Lyft, you request roadside assistance using a smartphone app. The closest and highest-rated available service provider in your area is then dispatched, and you get an ETA so you’re not seemingly waiting forever. The service works for running out of gas, flat tires, jump starts, a tow to a local repair shop, and even recharging a dead electric car.

While still small, Urgent.ly already has over 45,000 service vehicles in its network across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.